Set up in 2014 to raise standards in the private rented sector (PRS), the TDS Charitable Foundation has published its annual review which shows that 13 different organisations across England and Wales have benefited from grants totalling £135,935 in the last year.

The Foundation is funded mainly by donations from The Dispute Service (TDS), the leading Tenancy Deposit Scheme which operates on a not-for-profit basis across the UK.

Grants have been made which encourage best practice in the PRS, educate landlords on their obligations, and ensure tenants are informed about their rights and responsibilities.

Projects to have benefited in the last year include Community Links Bromley which received £8,870 for an online toolkit for new tenants entering into the private rented sector and the Centre for Sustainable Energy which received £14,050 to support landlords in the South West to better understand their obligations around new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).

Sutton Borough Citizens Advice Bureau received £22,181 to create a training package to give trainee volunteers the necessary skills to be able to give accurate, relevant and up to date information, and the Refugee Council was given a grant of £10,000 to help provide advice sessions for newly recognised refugees in searching, securing and maintaining tenancies.

Prof. Martin Partington CBE QC, Chairman of the TDS Charitable Foundation, said: “The diverse and far-reaching projects which the Foundation has given grants to this year show the importance of the private rented sector in so many people’s lives.

“By contributing to the work being done by so many worthwhile organisations we hope that these projects will have a real impact and help more people understand not only how the PRS works but what their roles and responsibilities are.”

Kelly Wallace has been responsible for the co-ordination of the TDS Charitable Foundation since its inception in 2014. Alongside her role with the Foundation, Kelly has more generally been part of The Tenancy Deposit Scheme for four years, initially within the Dispute Resolution team, progressing to a central role within the customer relations department and now the Senior Business Development Executive. Kelly’s focus within TDS is membership, business development and growth; this encompasses all aspects of new business across both the Insured and Custodial schemes.

About TDS:

Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS) is a government approved scheme for the protection of tenancy deposits; TDS offers both Insured and Custodial protection and also provides fair adjudication for disputes that arise over the tenancy deposits that we protect.

We provide invaluable training in tenancy deposit protection and disputes for agents and landlords through the TDS Academy as well as joining with MOL to provide the Technical Award in Residential Tenancy Deposits

TDS Insured Scheme: where a TDS member can hold the tenancy deposits as stakeholder during the term of the tenancy.

RLA: If you are a landlord and would like to keep up to date with any changes that may affect you or your responsibilities, you can contact the RLA at: ku.gr1568544045o.alr1568544045@ofni1568544045 and quote reference: dg715 to receive 25% off your first year’s membership.